E-Journal of the Senior Engineers of the KSEBEA Vol. 10 no.

10 December 2012

Index INBOX Senior Engineers Kozhikode

EASY ENERGY-SAVING HABITS

NkLj ip`Nn
Manage your Energy, Not Time
LOVE
Taliban Gun Down Girl Who Spoke Up for Rights

BjpOU RWLfOWOU CTSYLpOU

Malayalee Mindset A SNACK AND A SNARE Grow a trouble tree Report of the meeting of Kannur unit November 2012 TIPS ON INVESTMENTS IN SHARES-CXIV C. M. DAMODARAN

Powering Sustainable Energy for All

'There are many languages on earth, Smile speaks them all.' Keep Smiling at someone who cares you to Smile. LINEAGE WISHES ALL READERS A
FROM THE EDITOR

The UN Secretary-General had issued a message in January explaining the goals of the SE4ALL. (Sustainable Energy for All). Let us read it once again now. Recounting his experience at a school for deaf and dumb, Malayalam poet Rafeeq Ahamed curses our hypocrisy. The lyrics flow from a wounded heart and the words used are harsh.

One only has to look around to see small ways to save energy. It is surprising that we seldom do so on purpose. We have just a few of the tips listed for you. Prof. Chatterjee drives a good lesson home through the parable of Elephant, Mosquito and Ego. Suhair has a different text book module on the management of Energy and Time. TP Sreenivasan turns a mirror inwards on malayalee psyche and analyzes some traits of behavior in a humorous vein. We hope you will enjoy the contents of LINEAGE and come out with a feed back. I thank all contributors. On December11, Kannur Unit is co-hosting an ambitious event as our tribute to Er. CMDamodaran, former Deputy Chief Engineer. LINEAGE joins the countless former colleagues, who benefitted by his grooming, to pay our homage to CMD.
K.E.DAMODARAN NAYANAR QUOTABLE

When you squeeze an orange, you'll always get orange juice to come out. What comes out is what's inside. The same logic applies to you: when someone squeezes you, puts pressure on you, or says something unflattering or critical, and out of you comes anger, hatred, bitterness, tension, depression, or anxiety that is what's inside. If love and joy are what you want to give and receive, change your life by changing what's inside.
- Dr.WaynW.Dyer (Contributed by Suhair)

INBOX
As usual, I received November issue of Lineage in time. It is becoming more and more attractive both by contents and by appearance. I really appreciate the efforts taken by the editor and also the writers, especially Er.Anandakumar (M.K.Sudhakaran) I believe that Lineage has crossed its adolescence and reached a level of maturity over the decade of its publication and therefore deserve a bridal look. I am daring to send some suggestions for your consideration. I feel that the journal should have a full cover with some background picture on power/energy. The contents along with any theme can be listed on the front cover so that the readers attention can be drawn to their areas of interest. (Suhair) My friend Er. Kunhiraman has been silently doing an admirable job. Clicking on the title on cover will now take you straight to the page you select. Great? Eh! Editor Thanks for the valuable Lineage! (Sathar)

Senior Engineers Kozhikode

The monthly meeting of Senior Engineers Kozhikode was held on 13.10.2012, Saturday , 1030 am at Sargalaya, Iringal, a tourist place near Vadakara. This month the meeting was combined with the KSEBEA Kozhikode unit. The family meet was attended by about 75 members. Sargaalaya is a nice place to have a one day programme. It is run by KTDC and now managed by ULCC. It is by the side of Moorad River. There is a big meeting hall, an artificial lake, a boat jetty, handicraft workshop, play area etc.To start our days activities, with we had a general meeting, presided by Er A. Chandran. This was followed by various cultural programmes by participants
2

Later there was a display of Kalaripayattu presented by a professional group called Kadathanad Kalary Sangham. It was a rare occasion for all of us. And then a Nadan pattu by the same professional group There is a catering unit with in and we had a nice Nadan lunch. The days activities concluded at 5 pm with vote of thanks by Er Nandakumar Ramachandran,
LINEAGE had completed the transformation from word to pdf format, a job handled by Kunhiraman, always with a few hours to spare, by the time Kozhikode report reached me. I tendered an apology to Ramachandran at once; now I do so to all readers. Nayanar Malayalam Poem Rafeeq Ahamed has been writing poems for several years now. The discerning readers adulate him. In the last two years he wrote some memorable lyrics for films; they were instant hits and earned him many awards. The prayer in this soul-stirring poem shows a wounded heart and a scarred soul.

NkLj
o]OvL jLv]sL SWOvL WLf]sL RRkf kb]ORLq]aV R\R} `L. vLOW WOaO]p RfLpOoLpV `L j]P 'NkLj' v]t]R\LqL oOk]Rs W]aLv]Rj. fORa WbU wq]RaO]pv RoRs KLO R\LsOWpLp} NkLj SWwSLRa. vLOWtf]s]s, AqtOo]s, SfSoL `qSoL SkLRsLqO h}jy~qU. K]a j]] v}OU fOa], SfL]v j}aU SkLsORLqL WOWtOpRv, j]LjOo]q]LjOU SkLWLjOoLWLSfSfL R\j kLht] RkLOfr]O `L. Bp]qU oftOLp]qU RRhvtO LvWRsLSoRr NkjWtORoL, ANfSosOU \ORfLO `L SW]]s ANfO RjU j}r] oOkV `L j]]]s ANf SosfQkVf]p] RvrO]SsL]]s AjLU mi]qjLU oPWjLU RRhv]Rj.
rl}V AzhV
Getting angry is punishing yourself for the mistakes of others!
(oLfQnPo] vLq]W)

- (GHK Collections)

ip`Nn
Zn\mcw`w Fpw ip`Icambncnpw. Fm ImgvNmSnse hyXymkw, Hmtcmcmpw AXv ip`tam Aip`tam Bbnocmw. ImWpXpw tIpXpw ip` NntbmtSbmsWn B Zn\w Abmv hnPb ]cyhkm\nbmbncnpw. Fm, Aip` NntbmsS ImWpIbpw tIpIbpw sNpbmfpsS Zn\w XnI ]cmPbhpambncnpw. ag\mfnse Hcp {]`mXn DWsgpt\bm ^vfmn \nv Xmsg HmSbneqsS HgpIp sNfn ImWpp. ASp ^vfmnse hyn, {]`mX kqcy civanbn hnSp \np sXmSnbnse ]qsf Im\npp. BZy hynbpsS a\n sNfn \ndp \npp. XpSv AbmfpsS Zn\NcyIfnepw ap {]h\fnepw sNfnbpsS kzm[o\w DmIpp. Fm, sNfn IXv bmZrnImamsW ip` NntbmsS t\mw Xncnpshncpsn Abmpw ]qsf Im\nmambncpp. cmas hynbpsS IWnXs ip`ambncpp. XpSv Atlns Hmtcm \ohpw ip` NntbmsSbbXn\m ip` ]cyhkm\nbmbnocpp. \ntj[n Hcp Imcynepw hnPbw ImWpn. Abm Ignm Innb Dgpp hSbpsS Blmc `mKw ImWmsX Zzmcw am{Xw ImWph\mWv. Fm, hnPb km[yX hncfsanepw ip`m]vXn hnizmkn {]bXv\nv hnPbw Ispw. Ch Dgpp hSbpsS Zzmcw {inptbn. hS Xnv hniSpp. Hcp \mbmpImc\v hntijs Hcp ]nbpmbncpp. hfsc \mfs {ia^eambn AXns\ shneqsS \Sm ]cnioennp. ]nbpsS Ignhv kplrpsf ImWnWsabm B{Klnp. Hcp Znhkw kplrpfpambn \mbmn\v t]mbn. Ah Hcp ]pgcbnsen. AhnsS acnencp Hcp Infnsb Abm shSnshp. Infn shSn sImv ]pgbn hoWp. AXns\ sImphcm ]nv \ntZiw \In. ]n shoeqsS \Sv Infnsb sImp hv \mbpImcs apn Cp. Itm Fs ]nbpsS anSpv Itm sXlmctmsS Abm IqpImtcmSv ]dp. CXv tI IqpImcnsemcm tNmZnp: Atm \nfpsS ]nv \om\dnbn. At. Aip` NnbpsS t]mv Itm! hc A\p`hnp {KmahmknI ag e`nm hcqWtZh {]oXnmbn bXv\ns\mcpnb IY tInns. bXv\n\v t]mIphcpsS Iqn ]{v hbpsmcp _me\papmbncpp. Ah Hcp IpS IcpXnbncpp. CXv Iv IqsSbph Ahs\ Ifnbmn. ag s]nm\s \ t]mIpXv. Atm Xncnv hcptm ag s]ns Fmbncpp _mes adp]Sn. bXv\w Ignv aS bm{Xbn _me\v am{Xw ag InnsbmWv IY. ip`m]vXn hnizmktmsS sNp Int\ ip`^ew e`yamIq. Ipn, {_UvUpw Pmapw IgnpIbmbncpp. AXv Xmsg hoWp. Ah Icbm XpSn. CXv tI Av Acniw hp. B Pmw apgph \nev Ifmbncnpw. CXv tI A\pw Pmw t]msbv ]dv IenIbdn. hoW {_UvUv ImWpI t]mepw sNmsX AhnsSbp Fmhcpw Ahs\ iImcnp. s]sv Ipn Nncnp sImv ]dp: Pmw t]mbn. hoW {_UvUns apIfnembncpp Pmw. CXv tI A ]dp: Pmw ]pcnb `mKw amdnbnpmIpw. Aip`NnbpsS ISpw t\mntb! \ntj[nI A]ISImcnIfpw Iem]ImcnIfpambncnpw. AtX kabw ip`Nnm imioecpw kam[m\{]nbcpambncnpw. kaqln ChcpsS kzm[o\hpw hyXyambncnpw. Hcn Xs kmcn\nSbn Kpcp\m\mIv Iem]ImcnIfpsS {Kmansen. A\p{Kln\mbn hhtcmSv Atlw D]tZinp: \n Cu {Kmaw hnv Fpw t]mIcpXv. ChnsS Xs IgnbWw. thsdmchkcn imioecpsS {Kmansen. AhnsSbphtcmSv Xn Xn ]ncnv thsd thsd {Kmafn t]mIm Atlw D]tZinp. sshcpyw tXmp D]tZiv Kpcp\m\mns hniZoIcWw Cns\bmbncpp. Iem]ImcnI \ntj[ NnmcmWv. Ah t]mIpnSsmw Aimn ]cpw. Fm imkz`mhm ip`NnIcmWv. Ah t]mIpnSsmw imnbpw kvt\lhpw \ndbpw. ip`NntbmsSbmIs Cs XpSw. sI. iin[c (9447236631) (12.10.2012\v Iq BImihmWn {]t]Ww sNbvX kp`mjnXw)

Laugh

Into the Church

Three buildings in town were overrun by squirrelsthe town hall, the hardware store, and the church. The town hall brought in some cats. But after they tore up all the files, the mayor got rid of the predators, and soon the squirrels were back. The hardware store humanely trapped the squirrels and set them free outside town. But three days later, the squirrels climbed back in. Only the church came up with an effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and made them members. Now they see them only on Christmas and Easter.
Readers Digest

LOVE
A Frenchman will have wife & a mistress but will always love his mistress more. An Englishman will have wife & 2 girlfriends but will always love his wife more.An American will have wife & 3 girlfriends but will love his latest girlfriend.An Indian male will have 1 wife,1 mistress, and minimum 2 girlfriends, and still in search of new item... but will still love his Mummy the most
(contributed by-G.H. Krishna Iyer)

We have solutions to all the problems, When they are not ours!!! One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness. A Deaf child says: For all of you, I am deaf; But for me, all of you are dumb Moral: Life differs in each perspective. Live the way you want to.
- (GHK Collections)

Manage your Energy, Not Time

I am a good Time Manager and consider myself better at squeezing more activities in an hour than squeezing myself in size 34 trousers. Yesterday I watched my favorite movie Braved heart for the 8th time. The movie ended at 23:30hrs and it was 00:15hrs before I could hit the bed. Next morning no sooner I got up, had gulped two strong cups of freshly brewed coffee before 7:00 in the morning. I quickly gulped my 2 egg omelet sandwich and reached office after an hour of driving. When driving I spent time listening to a CD Arabic in 30 days. In between I switched on to business news on 103.8 FM. I was excited to catch up so much in so little time but my 9:00 am internal meeting was a disaster, could not keep up my attention to the questions put forward and neither participated in the discussions. What a disastrous start of the day!
While we are well versed with the concepts and principles of Time Management and its value in our life, the author of this article lays emphasis on managing our energy level for better accomplishments. AS

Sound familiar? A month ago I came across an article in HBR Manage Your Energy, Not Time a profound statement and after browsing through, realized the ton of gold in the wisdom scripted. Organizations are demanding ever higher performance from their employees and employees are trying to comply through putting in longer hours. Resultemployees are disengaged, dissatisfied, burned out and getting their health out of fashion. Longer hours in the office dont work because time is a limited resource, but on the flip side personal energy is a renewable resource and by adopting simple rituals you can recharge yourself regularly and pour passion and zeal in your work or whatever you exercise. These rituals are as simple as taking short brakes at a prescribed interval, expressing appreciation, reducing interruptions and noise pollution. But before we go further lets put a system to the renewable energy formula to get a better understanding and better still become a recharged person at your beckon. You can manage and renew your energy by constantly focusing on four dimensions of personal energy. And they are.. Physical Energy Emotional Energy Mental Energy Spiritual Energy Wow looks intimidated but not so when you practice and see the results.
Physical Energy:
Improve quality of your sleep by setting an earlier bedtime. Avoid intake of alcohol and strictly no before bedtime. Reduce stress by engaging in cardiovascular activity at least 3 times a week and strength training at least once a week. Eat light meals and snacks every 3 hours. Take regular but brief breaks away from your desk at 90 or 120 minutes intervals throughout the day.

Emotional Energy:
Practice deep abdominal breathing. Daily in the morning and evening practice Pranayama to diffuse negative emotions. Express regular appreciation of others at fixed intervals to start with; either verbally or through email or phone. Laugh for a minute three times a day. Stay away from pessimistic people.

Mental Energy:
Practice high concentration task away from distractions such as phones and emails. Respond to emails and phone calls at predetermined time period during the day. Every night before going to bed identify the most important errand for the next day and give it the top priory for the day.

Spiritual Energy:
Identify activities that give you the feeling of effectiveness, effortlessness and fulfillment. Find ways to do more of these. These are your Sweet Spot. Allocate time and energy to do what you believe most important. For example spend deep 20 minutes after returning home with family. Spend deep 30 minutes on dinner table with your family.

Taliban Gun Down Girl Who Spoke Up for Rights

Malala Yousafzai has become a powerful symbol of resistance to the Taliban's attempts to suppress women's rights (Guardian)

Powering Sustainable Energy for All

By BAN KI-MOON

As a child growing up during the Korean War, I studied by candlelight. Electric conveniences such as refrigerators and fans were largely unknown. Yet within my lifetime, that reality changed utterly. Easy access to energy opened abundant new possibilities for my family and my nation. Energy transforms lives, businesses and economies. And it transforms our planet its climate, natural resources and ecosystems. There can be no development without energy. Today we have an opportunity to turn on the heat and lights for every household in the world, however poor, even as we turn down the global thermostat. The key is to provide sustainable energy for all. To succeed, we need everyone at the table governments, the private sector and civil society all working together to accomplish what none can do alone. The United Nations is well-placed to convene this broad swathe of actors and forge common cause between them. That is why I have established our new initiative, Sustainable Energy for All. Our mission: to galvanize immediate action that can deliver real results for people and the planet. This is the message I will bring to the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi starting Monday. As I see it, we face two urgent energy challenges. The first is that one in five people on the planet lacks access to electricity. Twice as many, almost 3 billion, use wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste to cook meals and heat homes, exposing themselves and their families to harmful smoke and fumes. This energy poverty is devastating to human development. The second challenge is climate change. Greenhouse gases emitted from burning fossil fuels contribute directly to the warming of the earths atmosphere, with all the attendant consequences: a rising incidence of extreme weather and natural disasters that jeopardize lives, livelihoods and our childrens future. Sustainable energy for all by 2030 is an enormous challenge. But it is achievable. My vision is for a world with universal energy access coupled with significantly improved rates of energy efficiency and a doubling of renewable energy in our mix of fuel sources. The obstacles are not so much technical as human. We need to raise sustainable energy to the top of the global agenda and focus our attention, ingenuity, resources, and investments to make it a reality. Consider the precedent of cellular phones. Twenty years ago, universal access to mobile communications seemed preposterous. Yet as governments put proper frameworks in place and the

private sector invested resources and pioneered business models, the communications revolution exploded. A similar paradigm can emerge in sustainable energy. Developing countries can leapfrog conventional options in favor of cleaner energy solutions, just as they leapfrogged land-line based phone technologies in favor of mobile networks. Industrialized countries can and should support this transition to lowemission technologies, not least through their own example. This is the right thing to do to reduce poverty and protect our planet. It also happens to be the smart thing to do for expanding business opportunities in the worlds fastest growing marketplaces. Mobilizing private capital is essential, particularly at a time when public budgets are under strain. With the right policy frameworks in place, the return on investment can be enormous: increased productivity and growth, job generation, included for grass-roots entrepreneurs, improved public health, enhanced energy security and a more stable climate. Over the past five years the renewable energy industry has experienced tremendous growth. Capacity is expanding. Performance is improving. Prices are declining. New products are emerging that require less energy. This is a solid foundation upon which to build the next great energy transition. At least 118 countries have set policy targets or created supportive renewable energy policies. Yet we can, and must, do more. In the lead up to Rio conference on sustainable development, I am urging governments, the private sector and other stakeholders to make concrete commitments that drive action on the ground. Governments can advance more ambitious national energy plans and targets, provide financial support, and moderate perverse tariffs. Companies can make operations and supply chains more energy-efficient and form public-private partnerships that expand sustainable energy products. Investors can provide seed money for clean technologies. Governments, industry and academia can all contribute new research. Some argue that in times of economic uncertainty, sustainability is a luxury we cannot afford. I say that we cannot afford to wait. Science and economics reach the same conclusion: advancing economic growth, lifting people out of poverty and protecting our planet are all part of the same agenda: the sustainable development agenda. What connects them is energy. Sustainable energy for all is an idea whose time has come. Turning ideas into action depends on us all. Ban Ki-moon is secretary general of the United Nations.

EASY ENERGY-SAVING HABITS

Don't forget the basics. This simple stuff will save energy -- and money -- right now. Unplug Unplug seldom-used appliances, like an extra refrigerator in the basement or garage that contains just a few items. You may save every month on your utility bill. Unplug your chargers when you're not charging. Every house is full of little plastic power supplies to charge cell phones, PDA's, digital cameras, cordless tools and other personal gadgets. Keep them unplugged until you need them. Use power strips to switch off televisions, home theater equipment, and stereos when you're not using them. Even when you think these products are off, together, their "standby" consumption can be equivalent to that of a 75 or 100 watt light bulb running continuously.

Set Computers to Sleep and Hibernate Enable the "sleep mode" feature on your computer, allowing it to use less power during periods of inactivity. Configure your computer to "hibernate" automatically after 30 minutes or so of inactivity. The "hibernate mode" turns the computer off in a way that doesn't require you to reload everything when you switch it back on. Allowing your computer to hibernate saves energy and is more timeefficient than shutting down and restarting your computer from scratch. When you're done for the day, shut down. Use Appliances Efficiently Set your refrigerator temperature at 38 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit; your freezer should be set between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the power-save switch if your fridge has one, and make sure the door seals tightly. You can check this by making sure that a dollar bill closed in between the door gaskets is difficult to pull out. If it slides easily between the gaskets, replace them. Don't preheat or "peek" inside the oven more than necessary. Check the seal on the oven door, and use a microwave oven for cooking or reheating small items. Wash only full loads in your dishwasher, using short cycles for all but the dirtiest dishes. This saves water and the energy used to pump and heat it. Air-drying, if you have the time, can also reduce energy use. In your clothes washer, set the appropriate water level for the size of the load; wash in cold water when practical, and always rinse in cold. Clean the lint filter in the dryer after each use. Dry heavy and light fabrics separately and don't add wet items to a load that's already partly dry. If available, use the moisture sensor setting. (A clothesline is the most energy-efficient clothes dryer of all!) Turn Out the Lights Don't forget to flick the switch when you leave a room. Use energy efficient light bulbs Remember this at the office, too. Turn out or dim the lights in unused conference rooms, and when you step out for lunch. Work by daylight when possible. A typical commercial building uses more energy for lighting than anything else.

Turn appliances off standby The average household saves money simply by leaving appliances on standby. Remember: You can't switch most electronic goods off just with the remote control. To turn off an appliance completely, use the power switch on the appliance itself or turn it off at the plug. If a charger or power pack is warm or has a light on, it's probably using power

In the kitchen
Boil a kettle with only as much water as you need. Cover pots and pans when cooking they will boil a lot quicker. Match the size of the cooking ring to the size of the saucepan to avoid heating air. Theres emerging research that using a microwave rather than a conventional oven to heat up a small amount of food may save you energy

Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly and avoid putting hot food in the freezer. Try not to leave your fridge door open, as it takes energy to cool down again

Washing clothes Washing clothes at 30 degrees can be just as effective for a normally soiled load Run your washing machine or dishwasher with full loads. Avoid tumble drying dry clothes outdoors or on indoor dryers when possible to save money and energy Buy energy efficient appliances Energy efficient appliances are easy to find and arent necessarily more expensive. Look out for appliances that carry the labels below to save money and energy:

BjpOU RWLfOWOU CTSYLpOU

-Shmw]xV \L^-] 'yOzQS, KqO Wj]Lp]V `L fLtORa kOr]qOSLR?' kLsU vu] ARqV jaO BjSpLaV RWLfOWV oPt]RLV S\Lh]\O. Bj AfO SWOSvL IV yUwpU. BjpORa yzpLNf]WjLvL Wu]f]Rr ySLx] RWLfOWV yUY}fU fOaO. WOr\V jaSLSuOU RWLfOWV Asr] j]sv]t]L fOa]. 'kLs]Rr jaOv]RsLrLp]. yP]eU.jORa qV SkqORapOU WPa]pLWOSL npq nLqoLW]Ss?' kLsU WaSL RWLfOWV fOaO, ' WSL, `L INf yOq]foLp] jp]\O? CSs?' ASLuOU Bj KOU kr]s. KaOv] RWLfOWV BjOrV j]OU fLRup]r]. KqO oPt]LOU kLa]. 'IR]sOU IRr yzLpU SveRoV SfL]pL KOU oa]S. IRr RySlLe] v]t]\Lof]',fRr m]y]jyV WLcV j}]RLV RWLfOWV krO. B oPtsOU Bj SWOSvL IO yUwpoLeV. mQzLp ^-}v]foLeV Bj. RWLfOWV Ay~oLp CTSYLpOU. Bj RWLfOW]Rj INfSLtU AvYe]OOSvL ANfSLtU CTSYL CsLfLWOO. y~U wq}qU RWLLRf vqOSoL I npU RWLs; DTf] v}]\ CTSYLV R\r]pf]Rj DRLL vLfV RWLLeV jLU vs]p WLr]jV Sv] An]sx]OfV.
(oLfQnPo] )

Dr. Chatterjee is the Director of IIM Kozhikode.

How does access to Sustainable Energy help?

Access to energy, particularly sustainable energy, is indistinguishable from a sustainable future for the developing world. Not only does access to energy transform the lives of the energy-poor by raising living standards, it also: enables income generation for example, through solar pumps for irrigation or electricity for a small business; provides power to community health clinics, and refrigerators to store medicines, as well as cell phones, which have transformed commerce; reduces the time and drudgery of collecting fuel wood, supporting cleaner, more efficient cooking and heating options; provides lighting, so children can study after dark; enables businesses to operate and creates new opportunities for entrepreneurs.

10

Malayalee Mindset
Speaking the last word on the theme of transforming mindsets, I would like to look at the Malayalee mindset and see what transformation is needed to make ourselves more modern, productive, and closer to universal norms of behavior. We are generally sharper in intellect, more creative and more innovative than many people. We have had the opportunity to interact with many cultures for centuries and even today we have greater global reach than many others. But the paradox is that there is much in our mindset that needs attention and correction, much in our ways that baffles others. It is said that any observation you make on India, the opposite of it will also be true and we should bear in mind that this is so also about Kerala. The paradox is explained in a story of a bane and a boon. The bane of the Malayalees at the time of their creation was that they were dull, disorganized and lazy, although they were in an enchanting land. They complained bitterly to the Almighty, who gave them a boon that they would be perfect once they took off from Kerala and settled abroad. So we have two kinds of Malayalees, according to this tale, one that remains with the bane in Kerala, undisciplined and lazy, the other, the beneficiaries of the boon, courteous and industrious, in other lands. The story may be apocryphal, but it underlines the fact that the Malayalees are capable of changing their mindset and mend their ways to be successful outside Kerala. They are trusted and depended upon in countries from Mauritius to Malaysia, from the Gulf to the Americas. The joke in Malaysia was that the name of their airline, MAS, stood for Malayalees Are Supreme. The story of the Kerala crabs is well known. They are exported in open cans, as no crab will allow another to climb up in any circumstance. We are highly individualistic, incapable of working as a team. Our superb intellect and creative energy are frittered away in internal squabbles. We are all chiefs, not Indians, as Americans would say. For a society to develop, it has to operate within which each of us has a niche. We have to learn to wait for our turn, whether we are entering an elevator or waiting to help ourselves to a buffet. We must learn from our brethren, who patiently wait in line at the beverage corporation stalls.

Social graces are generally absent in our society. We may be the only people in the world, who do not greet each other as a matter of routine. Most societies develop set phrases, to greet when they meet. Japan has a whole set of traditional expressions for every occasion to show courtesy and humility. But among us, the greeting is, at best, a smile or, at worst, a personal comment, which often shows lack of sensitivity. Gratitude is rarely expressed in Malayalam and, at best, we resort to a casual thank you. No Malayalam word exists even for cheers, though we drink Indian made foreign liquor in huge quantities. The British talk about the weather to break the ice, but we do not do it, perhaps because we have no variety in weather conditions. We need to cultivate social graces within our own society, not just outside it. Kerala women are liberated and control the purse strings in the family, but their place is in the home. Wives are not seen or heard in public. Given a choice, we will still make them walk 30 yards behind us. True liberation will come when women are able to come out of the homes safely and occupy positions beside their men in any area of activity. Michelle Obama should be the role model for Kerala women. Malayalees have gone global, but we remain insular in our own state and resist the winds of change. Outsiders are uncomfortable here because we tend to ignore them on social occasions after an initial introduction and resume our gossip in the vernacular. Partly, it is the inadequacy of language; partly it is lack of confidence. For a people, who have been successful abroad in various professions, we are often tonguetied when the conversation is in English. Our students have no opportunities to speak in English, not at home, not in class, not among friends and so we remain perpetually handicapped in articulation. Finishing schools and instant English courses do not seem to have raised the general level of proficiency in English. I have seen our people, not being able to express themselves adequately even after living abroad for several years. This is more a matter of mindset, which can be changed, not a mental block. We are not poor in learning languages; we remain poor in using them. Swami Vivekanandas lunatic asylum is alive and well in Kerala even today. Religions, castes and subcastes still divide us and the trend is to perpetuate and deepen the divisions, not to discard them. How come that education, economic development and social growth do not erase caste prejudices and practices? Caste, which was once a tool to protect the social fabric and to foster traditional professions, appears to

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have penetrated the psyche of our being. It strikes at the very root of democracy. We do not cast our votes, we vote our castes. The caste mindset will stay with us as long as it determines our social status, our job opportunities and our loyalties. But Kerala cannot become an egalitarian society, unless we get over caste mindset. There appears to be a new explosion of faith. Are we turning more and more to the Gods as we have no faith in our fellow men? Temples, churches and mosques have sprung up everywhere, as if in competition. Religious rituals are no more private between man and his God, but conspicuous display of devotion, a few degrees higher than the competitors. The aim is not to reach heaven anymore, but the Guinness Book of Records. Religious tolerance, a hallmark of Kerala in the past, is fast disappearing from our land. Even Mahabali is greeted with splurging, drinking and Bollywood talk. The quest for leadership and public recognition must be a weakness of all human beings, but Malayalees seem to have an overdose of it. That explains the proliferation of political parties, organisations and associations. The saying goes that where there are two Malayalees, there is an association, where there are three, there are two associations, where there are four, there is a federation of associations. It is the pursuit of positions that prompts this pointless proliferation of institutions. The waste of energy and resources in our society must be phenomenal in our quest for visibility. We have an infinite infatuation for the camera at every level and the media exploits it merrily. The new tendency to put up huge flex boards of leaders, big and small, in every square and circle, must be curbed. When every one knows that the persons who are featured often finance the flex boards, what purpose do they serve? Thank God, we do not go for gigantic cut outs of leaders like in a neighboring state. This is the same mindset that results in the immense waste of resources, time and money in our ritualistic public meetings. Any occasion is good enough for a public meeting at any time of the day and you find enough people to line up on the stage and even to occupy the front seats as fodder for verbal canons. Long welcome speeches and several felicitation remarks detract from the substance of the occasion. Speakers are selected to give them honorable appearances and not to make a contribution. Money is spent on flowers covered in plastic sheets and crude metal, glass and wood souvenirs. Unless a code of conduct is established for public meetings, much energy and resources will be wasted on them, as they do in authoritarian states. In Kenya, a hundred senior most officials would go to every meeting that the President addresses and the state machinery comes to a grinding halt. Should we have the same mindset? In the power hungry Kerala, do we need thousands of bulbs burning every time a festival passes by? Civic sense is also a matter of mindset. Being clean ourselves, while polluting the neighborhood is classic hypocrisy. Same is the case with polluting rivers, destroying forests or turning streets into toilets. Cleanliness must be as much in the mind as in our surroundings. Another bane of our society is the overdose of ideologies. Some of us still open our umbrellas as soon as it rains in Beijing. We are the only people who closed our shops when Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden were killed. Strikes, hartals etc are still common and the consciousness is only of the rights of workers, not their responsibilities. The institution of looking charges should put any labour movement to shame. Attachment to land is an obsession, not even a mindset. We kill each other for a strip of land. We are perpetually in narrow streets and inadequate civic facilities as no one parts with land even for the common good. The Malayalam University cannot get land in Ezhuthachans village. The same mindset thwarts proposals for industrialization. Every potential investor is suspected to be a land grabber. The lust for land skews land utilization. It is true, as Mark Twain said, land is not made any more, but judicious use of available land is essential for Keralas development. In making my case for transforming the Malayalee mindset, I may have exaggerated facts, generalized isolated tendencies and caused offence. But I have not spoken as an outsider, but someone who may have the same mindset that I am seeking to transform. This was more introspection than criticism. Changes in mindset are hard to accomplish in a clean sweep. In the meantime Malayalees must be given tasks that suit their mindset and genius. Give them jobs that demand personal initiative, not collective action. Exploit them in ways that their intellectual talents and rich imagination is put to good use. Trust them to build a knowledge society and usher in a silent revolution. But if Malaylees can transform their mindset, the sky is the limit for them. If we add social graces such as courtesy, discipline and punctuality, social responsibility and industry to the other remarkable attributes of the Malayalees, we will get a productive work force, an impeccable

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society and a proud community. And then, as Mahakavi Vallathol said, When we hear the name Kerala, blood will simmer in our veins.
(Collected and presented by Suhair)

Do you know why God didnt give us the gift to read others minds? So that, We could have the chance to TRUST, And privilege to be TRUSTED!

A SNACK AND A SNARE

A casual look at the way-side eateries, canteens and bunks serving tea would reveal that pazham-pori (PP) qualifies to be the snack of Kerala for mid-morning and late afternoon. It is hardly found elsewhere; other south Indian states are dominated by varieties of vada. Connoisseurs like their pori soft and sweet, the banana slice just a bit over-ripe, the wheat dough crispy on the outside, taken with intermittent sips of tea. Its appeal to the taste-buds is fantastic. It is energizing in terms of the calories it can offer! Cold poris are also delicious. Doctors advocating dietary control to prevent artery disease and stroke are appalled by this. A well-known cardiologist describes pori as an oil mine and a calorie mine. The flavonoids, which are the anti-oxidants get destroyed during frying; Result: A few minutes in your mouth, a few hours in your stomach but permanently around your waist and other undesirable places of your body. The oil for deep-frying is repeatedly used, generating carcinogenic substances predisposed to cancers of the gut. This is unlikely to dissuade the pazham pori fan in the least bit. To reduce the guilt feeling, if any, when you are irresistibly attracted, there is an ingenious way of reducing oil by squeezing a pori between two sheets of newspaper till all oil gushes out. Source: HINDU
Article by Dr. Easwer H.V.

Grow a trouble tree

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier. Oh, thats my trouble tree, he replied. I know I cant help having troubles on the job, but one things for sure, troubles dont belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again. He paused. Funny thing is, he smiled, when I come out in the morning to pick em up, there aint nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before. A Suhair

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Report of the meeting of Kannur unit November 2012

The meeting commenced at 10.30 am at Engineers House Kannur on 06-11-12 with Er.C.Bala krishnan, President in chair. 40 Engineers attended. After silent prayer, Er.E.P.Ravindran welcomed the gathering. One minute silence was observed for the memory Er.A.M.Ratnakaran Nair Rtd. Assistant Engineer who expired on24th 0f October 2012.May his Soul Rest in Peace In the presidential speech Er.C.Balakrishnan narrated the price escalation, and political parties for the public issues. Er.A.V.Mohanan Nambiar presented the minutes of the last meeting and reported the follow up actions taken and it was passed as such. Er.M.C.Reghusudhan presented the accounts which was also passed. Rose bouquet was presented to Er.C. Padmanabhan who celebrated his birth day since last meeting. Er.A.V.Mohanan Nambiar updated the arrangemants for the Meeting in December. The date of the meeting will be on 11-12-12 since Er.V.K. Damodaran is engaged at Thiruvanathapuram on 14th December. The venue will be at the auditorium of Kannur Disit.Police Co operative Society Kannur. Engineer Quiz-2012 among the students of all Engineering Colleges in Kannur and Kasragode will be conducted in the morning session and the First Er.C.M.Damodaran memmorial Lecture will be delivered by Er.V.K.Damodaran Director INGORE. A special talk on Conservation of Energy will be delivered by Prof.K.P.Mohandas of M.E.S.College of Engineering, Kuttipuram. In the after noon session. The trophies and prizes for the Engineers Quiz will be sponsored by the family of late Er.C.M.Damodaran. The registration start by 09.30 am and the Engineer Quiz-2012 by 10.00am.All members are requested to try and achieve maximum attendance and participation. Er.V.P.Soman spoke on the participation of Engineers Association with Energy Conservation programme. Er.E.P.Ravindran highlighted the necessicity of help by members for the quiz and the question for the quiz should be received in advance and the mock quiz must be conducted .The invitation and arrangements will be done by the Organizing Committee. In the general discussion Er.K.P.Ravindran spoke on the herbal medicine for the treatment of piles. Er.K.E.Damodaran Nayanar the Chief Editor presented the Lineage for the month of November 2012 in detail. Er.A.V.Mohanan Nambiar described in details of the Tour Package to Andaman-Nicobar islands from 6th February to 12thFebruary 2013. Er.Gopalakrishnan Treasurer., K.S.E.B.Engineers Association handed over a cheque for Rs.10000/- to Er.K.C.Krishnan for his treatement. Er.K.C.Krishnan conveyed his thanks for the gesture. By 12.30pm Er. C.Mohandas started his presentation Beginning and Evoplution of Universe. The lunch was hosted by Er..K.P.Ravindran. After the lunch break, Er.Mohandas continued his presentation up to 4pm. Er.V.P.Soman proposed the vote of thanks to all and meeting came to close by 4.15 pm.
A.V.Mohanan Nambiar/ Secretary

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FUN
Easy to Forgive

Late for a seminar and unable to find parking, I pulled into a spot behind a church. It was only after Id gotten out of the car that I spotted this sign: "No parking. Forgiveness is our business, but dont make it harder than it already is."

The markets in November behaved in a directionless manner till 26th. The reasons were many. High inflation at 7.5%, non reduction of interest rates by RBI, negative IPP growth, weakening rupee, the continuing European economic difficulties, Israel Palestine conflicts and the instability of the Central Govt. contributed to this condition of the markets. The sensex varied from a high of 18902 on 7th to 18309 on 16th. The Nifty varied from 5760 to 5574 during the same period. From 16th to 26th the markets were flat on most of the days. On 27th the news came that the UPA Govt. is ready to face a discussion on FDI followed by voting (the govt. made sure that it can defeat the resolution). The news gave the message that the FDI in retail will be a reality. The news cheered up the markets. Sensex rose by 305 points and Nifty by 92 points on 27th. The rating agency Moodys pegged Indias credit outlook stable on 27th. This also caused the market sentiments to rise. Even though the sensex was reversing after reaching a high of 18902 on 7th to a low of 18309 on 16th it never breached the support at 18255. However a strong close above the resistance of 18800 shows that the short and medium term outlooks are positive. In the coming week the level of 19100 can also be reached by the sensex. The positive outlook will deteriorate only on a close below 17800. Similarly the Nifty recorded a low of 5572 before reversing upward in the third week of Nov. It has rallied to 5727 on 27th.The medium term view for the index stays positive. The next resistance level is 5815. The supports are at 5540 and then at 5520. The positive outlook will change only on a close below 5415. On the whole the present conditions are favorable for the markets and the indices may rise further. It is prudent for the investors to track the indices and buy stocks, during corrections. Booking profits should also be done during rallies when the prices reach ones targets. Booking profits is a must to reap the benefits of investments.
WISHING ALL READERS A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS - KNC

TIPS ON INVESTMENTS IN SHARES-CXIV

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